The Melody Plays On
by Alpacca Joe
Summary: What did Daria end up doing after college? Here, she is a small business co-owner who is about to get something of a pleasant surprise.


**The Melody Plays On**

3/29/10

The phones on a matched set of oak desks rang; several lights flashed for a moment, then stopped and the intercom light remained steady. A young woman with shoulder-length black hair pressed a button before lifting the handset to her ear. After a murmured hello, a slow smile curled scarlet lips and she replaced the receiver on its base.

"I've just received a reliable tip from the front desk. It seems that a _certain someone_ has a handsome visitor whose name starts with an M, ends with a K and has an A and a C in between." Jet eyebrows bounced and the woman seated at the other desk sighed, though a light blush stained her cheeks.

"Can it, Lane," she growled, and Jane Lane chuckled, wagging an admonishing finger at her long-time friend.

"Don't get so uppity, Morgen-former-maybe _you_ should check your I.D. and get back to me."

A small hand touched Daria Lane's forehead, pained at the memory of such drunken folly. Sometime after the reception of Jane's Vegas wedding to her long-time boyfriend and college sweetheart, Brandon Nicholls, Daria and Trent, Jane's older brother, had run off to one of the many all-night chapels on the strip and tied the noose themselves. The next morning found them sore and hung over in the honeymoon suite of a cheap little hotel across from the chapel, each with a 10-karat wedding ring weighing down their hands. Trent had freaked and disappeared for a while after that and Daria had received her new I.D. in the mail a few weeks later. Nearly a year went by before the couple could manage a divorce, having finally tracked Trent down in Tahiti. He made his living writing songs for honeymooning newlyweds at twenty dollars a pop, and was quite receptive to the proposal Daria offered him when he finally got back to her. When the arduous task was done with, Daria met Jane for coffee in her Lawndale home. She ran a hand over the tablecloth, hand-painted by Jane and her progeny; she traced one paint hand-print with the edge of her nail.

_In the future, I'd appreciate it if you didn't hold any other weddings in Vegas,_ she had groused. Jane had grinned over the rim of her coffee mug.

_I won't if you won't._

Suppressing a groan, Daria brushed wavy auburn hair away from her eyes in an embarrassed gesture.

"Remind me to change back to my maiden name."

"For how long?"

Jane was saved from Daria's retort by the ringing of the phone. A glare was tossed and Jane stuck her tongue out as Daria took the call, and Jane tucked her hair behind one ear. In place of the triplet hoops she had worn in her youth were a pair of diamond studs and a stained-glass chandelier earring made of silver wire. A ruby, diamond and sapphire ring sat on her ring finger along with an engraved wedding band, a matched set designed by her then-fiance`.

"A Fleeting Melody Publications, Daria Lane speaking." A wistful smile touched Daria's lips at the reminder of her short writing career. Melody Powers' tour had been brief, but happy; her popularity had tapered off after two best selling novels, a third received mix reviews and only made number twenty-eight on the _Times_ best sellers list. After even the magazine publications had dwindled, Daria had decided it was time to retire her beloved character. The publishing company, dedicated to young, unknown writers, had been something of an homage to the start of her career. Cafe` Lawndale had given her the chance she needed; now, she was doing the same for others.

It took only a moment to pen an appointment into her temporary planner, then the phone was hung up and with just a few key taps the date was reserved in her itinerary. There was a moment's silence as the pair worked. Jane broke it with a sigh.

"Remind me again why we don't have a secretary?"

Daria highlighted a sentence with her mouse, retyped it and looked the e-mail over before hitting send.

"Because we can have more of a personal relationship with our clients if we handle everything one-on-one."

An unladylike snort expressed the brunette's thoughts on the matter. Daria rolled her eyes, just managing to suppress a smile. "Okay, fine. Because you scared off the last decent person willing to work for us with your schitzoid humor."

Jane was all innocence; she pressed a hand to the throat of her form-fitting crimson turtleneck sweater, eyes wide.

_"Moi?_ What could little ole me _possibly_ have done to scare away a hard-working professional?"

Aside from telling her that you, me and Brandon were 'bound together in a three-way Devil's triangle of forbidden passion?'"

"Oh, yeah." Jane grinned and cocked her head at the fond memory. Her hair, parted down the center and curled under at the ends, swung like a curtain of silk at the motion. "That was one of my better explanations of why we have the same last name-but maybe I shouldn't have told her we had room for a fourth."

"If you ever get off your ass and change to Brandon's name, you won't _have_ to explain."

Jane pouted and fingered her wedding band. "But what about the three-way? Donnie'll be so disappointed."

"We'll just have to wonder what might have been."

Just then a knock came from the main door and a handsome black man in his early-to-mid thirties was escorted in by one of the building's security officers. He wore a tailored charcoal suit and black v-neck shirt, just tight enough to show off the sculpted contours of his chest while still managing to look professional. An easy smile showed his even teeth to good advantage and his brown eyes sparkled.

"A Mr. Mackenzie to see you, Ms. Lane."

Both women nodded and thanked the man, who stepped out and closed the door behind him. Jane's smile was pleased as she leaned across the desk to take her friend's large hand.

"Hey, Mack." Michael Mackenzie smiled and squeezed the slim hand.

"Hey, Jane. How're the kids?"

"Evil as ever." She rolled her eyes in mock exasperation at the mention of her children, though the pride shone through. "They ask about you just about every other day, especially Margaret-the crush is still going strong." Jane shot Daria a mischievous look, blue eyes glinting. "Looks like _someone_ has a little competition. Donnie misses having another guy around for weekend barbecues."

Mack's deep laugh boomed from his broad chest.

"Poor guy's starved for some male company, huh?"

"Well, he does have three sisters. With Trent in Tahiti with his island girl, the only guy around is Mason and he's barely out of diapers. Can't blame the poor guy for craving testosterone."

"I'll see if I can get him an IV feed."

Mack turned to Daria, who had risen and stepped out from behind her desk to greet him. Her smile was small and shy, cheeks flushed pink and brown eyes bright. Mack took both her hands in his and stepped close, their eyes locked and gentle. A warm atmosphere grew up between them-and was broken a moment later by Jane, who threw kissing sounds their way, hands clasped to her chest and eyes squeezed shut. Mack bit his lips to hold in laughter as Daria's blush darkened to scarlet.

"Kill you," she muttered, glaring at her satisfied friend.

"Promises, promises." Daria's eyes narrowed.

"I still have my bridesmaid's dress from your wedding, "she warned. Jane bat her eyes and pursed her lips mockingly as she picked up a stack of cover art drafts from where they lay forgotten on her desk. She was head of the art department, which was to say three starving art students looking to make their name in the world before graduation.

"And I love you, too."

Mack chuckled while Daria smoldered, eyes boring holes into the side of her friend's head. Still smiling, Mack drew the irate woman's attention back to himself with a soft squeeze of his hands.

"How has business been?"

She tilted her head first one way, then the other.

"So-so. We've brought in a little more interest since this time last year, but some of our most recent releases are receiving mixed reviews. Still, its to be expected this early in the game." she shrugged. "We're surviving."

The two chatted about work for a while and every so often, Jane would throw in a snide remark to remind them she was still there. About forty minutes into the visit, Mack stopped to check his watch and sighed.

"You have to go already?" He nodded, reluctant, but there was an excitement in his eyes so bright it nearly glowed.

"I have an appointment with a Realtor to look at a couple of properties. I already have a pretty good idea which one I'll choose, so all that's left is to sign some papers and hand over the check. If all goes well, I'll be back in time for a celebratory lunch."

Daria couldn't help but return his exuberant smile and unconsciously raised a hand to his cheek.

"You mean...?"

"Yup. With Brandon's firm in charge of the advertising, business has tripled. Charles got the investors to come through with extra funding, and with that support, we can finally expand the business." Mack hugged the diminutive woman, one hand cradling her head as the other rested on her back. Daria peeked shyly at his face out of the corner of one eye, head cocked to compensate for the large difference in height.

"Does this mean you'll be around more often from now on?"

Mack brushed the pad of his thumb over Daria's flushed cheek, his gentle smile reflected in her rimless half-moon glasses and he nodded.

"You might get sick of me." A soft chuckle bubbled up between them.

"If I haven't gotten sick of Jane after nearly two decades, I think you're safe."

"Kiss her, would you?" Jane groused and launched a wad of paper at her partner in crime. "She's so much more pleasant when she's not talking."

The man did not need telling twice. Locked together, Mack wound his arms around the petite woman's waist and lifted until she was a good foot off the ground. The embrace lasted several minutes and when they finally came up for air, Daria was dazed and a bit giddy from lack of oxygen. Jane wolf whistled at the display and proceeded to give them a standing ovation. Daria was too happy to care.

Mack made a show of straightening his jacket and checking his hair, elbow-length dreads now pulled back into a low ponytail at the nape of his neck. Daria dabbed at the corners of her mouth, feeling for smudged lipstick, then straightened her slate suit, careful to make sure the navy shell blouse was still tucked into her skirt.

Soon it was just about time for Mack to go, but he hesitated for a moment longer, half turned toward the door.

"Daria?" She looked up from a small compact with a deer in the headlights expression, a pale pink lipstick open in one hand. An endeared smile spread over the man's face like warmth itself. "I have one more question for you before I go."

He only had to reach out to take her hand; she hastily dropped the makeup onto her desk. His other hand had dipped into a pocket. A nervous excitement trembled at the corners of his smile as he held a small box up and opened it with his thumb.

"Promise you'll never get sick of me?"

Twin pearls flanked a large round jade set into a yellow gold band. A stray shaft of sunlight hit the ring and the pearls gleamed as though fresh from the ocean. Daria looked from the ring to the man offering it several times, a smile growing all the while. On the wall over Mack's shoulder, an inter-office memo was tacked to the wall. A Fleeting Melody was printed at the top of the page, immediately followed by _from the desk of Daria Lane._ Encouraged by her expression, Mack lifted Daria's hand to his lips, eyes expectant and nervous.

Daria drew in a deep breath, held it a moment and expelled all of her doubts, fears and the bitter disappointment she connected with the concept of marriage. She thought of her cheap wedding ring, engraved with the name she still kept nearly five years later. It sat mounted in a glass display case, the granite base bearing the legend 'One ring to rule them all' and rested on a bookshelf in her study. It had been a gift from Jane for their shared one year wedding anniversary, a friendly poke in the ribs, a joke Jane knew they would be laughing about before too long. Daria thought of it now and smiled wider.

_It'll be nice to have my old initials back_, she mused. _I've waited too long as it is._

She raised her free right hand and wrapped her slim fingers around Mack's left wrist, the proffered box still open on his palm.

"I promise, on one condition." Mack cocked a brow, waiting. "Never get sick of me, either." A jubilant laugh rippled through the afternoon; Mack lifted Daria and twirled her about the office in their shared joy. Daria was not surprised to see Jane pull a bottle of champagne and glasses from the bottom drawer of her desk. Mack set his fiance` down as Jane popped the cork and started pouring. He removed the ring from its box and slipped it onto Daria's finger. It was a perfect fit.

"It's a deal."

The couple sealed the deal with a kiss; Jane blew a party horn and tossed a handful of confetti. It caught in their hair and landed in the champagne, but the lovers had eyes only for each other, their minds already set on things to come.

**End.**


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